Salting-machine.



P. J, COTE.

SALTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED sEPLza. I9Is.

1,244,471. Patented Oct. 30,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

P. 1. COTE.

SALTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, I9I6.

1,244,471. Patented oct.. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.' i rr To all whom may cantera.'

STATES APATEN'ro'11T-RIOB..

' 'PAUL JOSEPH COTE, 'or EBURNE, BRITISH coun-unna, emana Application led September y28, 1916. Serial No. 122,710.

Be it known thatV I, PAUL JOSEPH COT,

a subjectfof the of Great Britain, and a resident ,of the town of Eburne, in ,the Province of British Columbia,v Canada, have invented certain new `and useful Improvements in Salting-Machines, of which the kfollowing is a specification.,

This invention relates to improvements in machines for salting fish or other foodstuffs in cans prior to sealing, and the object of the invention is' to provide' a simple and eili-` cient means -for carrying out the salting operation mechanically and automatically and' which is comparatively inexpensive to construct and requires little attention, is economical, and enables a great saving in time and labor to be effected as compared with salting by hand.

I attain this object by the constructionV illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in whichs j v Figure 1 is a'. side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of-Fig. 1,A the salt "container being removed.

f Fig. 3 is al sectional elevation'of thev salt container. v,

y Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of theI salt container, taken on the line a-b of Fig. 3.

Fig.V 5 is a front end elevation ofv'the ma- 1 chme.

the machine, in part-section. y Fig. 7 is a .detail view in elevation-looking on the end of the knocker. v Fig. 8 is a detail plan view ,of the salt discharging means.

Fig. l9 "s -a front view of 'the knocker wheel. .A

Fig.. 10 is a detail view of the knocker, in perspective.

Fig. 11 is a detailnview of the gate open ing arm, in perspective.

12 is a detail view of one of the gates. I 1 U 4Similar figures ofreference mdicate simi# lar parts throughout', the several views. f 1 indicates a table on whichthe machine is `mounted, which table is provided lwith an .endless belt 2 adapted to receive the filled cans A at one endand" carry them `in the direction indicated-b be transferred at t e other end to theseal-4 the arrow in Fig. 1to

' ing machine. -Mounted onl the table in suit-A able position and ata suitablev height above the belt 2 andsupportedon brackets A3 isfa Fig. 6 is a partial front end elevation of baseplate f1, onv which baseplate aref raised four pillars 5, 6,' 7 and 8, provided with Speciication of Letterslatent. I' Patented oet, 30,` 1917,

through bolts 9, the upper lends of which Y the; bolts 9,'.all as shown in Fig. 1.4

The container 11 is openz'topvand bottom, but when. assembled in place the bottom is closed, so that a box forcarrying salt is formed by a plate 13, which is mounted for rotation inside the pillars on a footstep bear-l ing 14 secured' to the baseplate and is actuated by means of a bevel gear 15 secured to its vertical shaft, the bevel gear meshing with a pinion 16 secured to a shaft 17 ro.'-

tatably mounted in a bear-ing 18 of a bracket 19 secured to baseplate; 4, .the other end of -which shaft is provided with' a'.V pulley 20 shaft belt-connected to a suitable driving (not shown), from allv `of which it will be seen that rotation `of pulley 20 rotates pinion 16, bevel gearl, andaplate 13, see Figs. 1 2 and more` particularly' Fig. 5. A -suitable clutch mechanism, indicated by. the

numeral 2l, is provided. for throwing pulley 2O into orout oflgear.

22 indicatesa bracket secured to and e1;-y

and 24 in which are Arotatably mounted veri tending'.` across fthe upper elfd'o the. conff. vtainer 11 and `provided with bearings 23 ticalvshafts 25 and'26 the lower ends of which are provided with paddles or agitators 27 and 28 respectively adapted to traverse .the surface of the plate 13 as the shafts rotate, the upperends of the shafts beingl extended. through the bracket 22 and provided with vbevel pinions 29 and 30,

which pinionsv mesh resptively with ping ions 31 and 32 secured t0 a horizontally sup,- portedshaft 33 the Outer end of which is i provided with a sprocket 34 connected by a suitable link-belt 35 to a sprocket 36 secured loo to a shaft 37 rotatably. supportedby bear-l `ings`38 and 39, bearing 38 being securedto baseplate .tand bearing 39 being formedl in the side of the` footstep `bearin 14. A

-f bevel ,pinion 4.0 meshing with beve gear 15 vis'secured 'on the shaft'37, So that it -will bey-seen that rotation offbevel gear 1 5 4actuatesl the'paddles 27 and 28, as :will be more lfully hereinafter described.,v 41 indicates an arm swingably mounted On the end' of shaft l37 outside of the bearing 38,'Which arm carries a tension roller I42 on'which the belt 35 travels, therollen being held against the belt by means of va spring 43?, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

' 43 and 44 indicate bearings secured to the baseplate at suitable points in which are rotatably supported verticalishafts 45 and 46, on the lower ends of which shafts are secured sprockets 47 vand 48 around which extends an endless link-beltl 49 provided at suitable intervals with arms 50 adapted to pass above the upper surface of belt 2 when I link-belt 49 is in motion. The upper end of p shaft 45 has secured thereon a bevel pinion 51 meshing with a pinion v52 secured tovshaft 37, while the upper end of shaft 46 is provided with a short; double-ended cam 53.

Rotation of the bevel gear l5 thus sets the belt 49\in motion through pinons 40, 51 and 52.-

penings 54 are provided in the plate 13 and also openings 55 in the gear 15 central withl the plate openings, through which thev ings then passing to the'outside ofthe container, as indicated' in Fig. 6. These openings 54. are normal-ly closed by means of gates v56 mountedon theunderside of the p te 13 and fulcrumed on pins 57, as indic/ted in dotted lines in Fig. 8 and shown in detail in Fig. '12, so that receptacles for containing salt are formed, and each of them remains closed until it comes directlyL above the funnel 56, when it is-then o ened to allow the salt to vfall out. 7 In or er to swing the gates 56 clear oftheir respective openings Aat the proper times a laterally swingable arm 58 is provided, as shown in Figs. 6, 7l and 8, on which arm is secured an upstanding pin`k59 normally clear of the gates but whichengages the outer end of each gate as it travels around Ywith the plate 13 when the arm 58fis swung inwardly, as

l indicated dotted in Fig.8, whereby the gate is swung on its fulcrum clearof the openingy 54. Arm 58 is secured to a`vertical shaft A 60 rotatably mounted in a bearing 61 secured to the baseplate, the shaft acting as a pivot and having secured. to its lower end a lever 62, on the outer end of which is mounted 'a roller 63 held in spring enga e1 ment with a cam wheel 64 by means o a spring 65 connected at one end to the lever,A 62 and,having its other end secured to any 'suitable point of the machine." The cam 65.

wheel 64 is secured to, the upper end of a lvertical shaft 66 rotatably mounted in -a bearing 67 secured to the underside of the baseplate 4, and secured to the lower end of the shaft 66 are four fingers 68,V set at right angles toeach other, these fingers beingarranged above the belt 2 so that one of them will always lie in the path of the cans 'being transferred along the belt to be tripped thereby, the tripping of each finger causing partial rotation of the cam wheel 64, thus forcing lever 62 outwardly and swinging arm 58 and' pin 59 inwardly to engage the gate 56 of the opening 54 the contents of which are to be discharged into the can which-tripsiinger 68.v 1-

of the To insure the positive discharge salt from the openings 54 Iprovide a de' I vice for knocking the salt outof the openings, indicated generallyfby the numeral 69 and shown in detail in-Fig. 10. This knocking device consists of a bar member 70 adapted lto fit slidably a slot 71 'formed in a spur gear'72 rotatably carried by a bearing 73 in the bracket 19 and meshing with a pinion 74 secured to shaft 17, as shown in Figs.y 5 and 6. 75 indicates an outstanding portion formed on the bar member 7 0, Vfrom which` portion extendsl centrally the arm 76 the outer end of which is provided on its upper and lower edges with the adjustable screws 77 and 78 having heads 79 and 80, rounded Aor otherwise formed and the diameter of which is slightlyless than theldiameter of the openings 54. 81 and 82 indicate plates adapted vto be secured to the back of the 'bar member 70` when assembledto engage the back of the gear 72 .and hold the bar in ico slidable engagement therewith and, as the bar is shorter than slot 71, it will be obvious i that the knocking device, or knocker,V as

it will be termed hereinafter, is capable of up and down movement in the slot 71 as the spur gear 72 rotates. To raise the knockerV a bar 83 is secured to the bracket 19, .which bar vis bent to straddle gear 72, itsy endfbeing curved as shown,` at 84v in Fig. 7, and carriedfpartly across the face. of the gear 11'1 way of the knockei.-so.that the outstanding portion 75 will ride on the curved end'84 when the gearx72`is -rotating" and cause the knocker to beraised, the length of the. curved end beingl such that when the knocker is in the vertical position it will then clear the end 84 and drop to the bottom of@ the slot 71, the head of screw 77, or 78, as the case maybe, entering the opening 54 then i'n discharging position andknocking the salt out of it. In order to give greater force to' the blow of the kncker anarm 8,5 is pivotally' mounted in the path of the outstanding portion 75 so that it, the arm 85, will be raised thereby `as `the extending Aa spring -86 connected with arm izol .knockerv comes to the vertical position,

85, iso that, when the knocker drops, the

the discharging position I provide a raised portion 58a on the arm 58 onwhich the outstanding portion of the knocker bar rides as the spur gears rotates, this portion 58a being withdrawn from the knocker wheny the arm v 8 is swung inwardly to open gates 56.

87 indicates an arm secured to pillar 7 extending inwardlyunder plate 13 and provided on its inner end with an upstand'- 'ing pin 88, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, which pin is adapted to engage the inner ends of -the several gates 56 after the contents' of their respective openings have been discharged and swing them to their normal closed positions, while .89 and 90, shown dotted in Fig. 8, indicate pinssecured into.v the underside of the plate 13 and positioned vto limit the opening and closing movements of the gates.

91 indicates a lever ful` crumed on a suitable bracketv 92, having onev levers 91, 95`and the spring 94.

salt, the openings 54 ofthe plate-13 being r.end provided with a roller 93'engaging the caml 53, hereinbefore mentioned, `which roller isv held Yagainst the cam by meansof a spring .94 connected to the other end of the lever, this end also being connected by means of a vertical shaft 98 to a lever 95, the opposite end of whichy is connectedV to a hooked arm 96 termed the timer, which arm is fulcrumed onA a pin. 97. The timer is normally disposed in the path of theucans, but is removable therefrom at predetermined intervals to allow the cans to feed intothe arms of the'belt 49, being actuated by the rotation of cam 53, through Having thus indicated the principal parts of thev invention I will now describe brie'iy its operation. Y

u The container 11 is lirstof lall filled with normallyclosed the gates-56.v The belt' conveyer 2 being set in motion, the cans are carried byit toward the machine, which is also set in operation by moving the clutch mechanism .21 to-throw 'the pulley'20 intoy gear. The bevel gear 15 l"is thus rotated by pinion 16, setting. in motion the plate 13.l and the belt 49, the belt being operated through pinions 40, 51l and 52. The cam 53,.,mounted o nsha-ftf 6 ofv the belt 49, is

nowl rotating, thus intermittently actuatmgf lever 91 to swing the timer (96 clear yof the approachingV cans, lwhich are thus free to pass on one afterthe other to be engagedl in the-rear by the arms 50 y'of the belt '49.

' When each can passes the timer the cam 53 is 'momentarily Lcut out of engagement with the lever 91, so that'the timer is then returned to its normal lposition in way of the cans and thus crowding of the cans on the belt 49 is prevented, the cam 53'and its associated mechanism being arranged so that each can is engaged by arm 50 at the proper moment. A

The can is now carried onward by the arm' 50, and in its. passage it comes in contact with one of the ingers 68, carryingit around to actuate cam wheel 64, thus partially rotating the wheel and forcing lever 62 outwardly and swingingarm 58 and pin 59 inwardly to engage and open the gate 56 of" one of the openings 54 which is then in position fordischarging and allowing the salt contained therein to fall out through the opening 55 in the bevel gear 15 and through the funnel 56 into the can, which is then directly below the funnel. Coincidently with t the'opening of the gate 56 the knocker drops into its lowest position so that the head of the screw 77 or 7 8,#as the c'ase may be, enters the openingl 54 and etfectually knocks vall the salt .out of it, so that there is no chance of the salt clogging the opening,

as it might do if the` salt was damp. The

the pin 88' as ythe plate 13 revolves so that `open gate 56 is then engaged and closed by i thebpening becomes' lled with. salt again as it passes through the container. The gate opening arm 58 and lever 62 are returned to -their normal positionsv by means of the spring .65. The .salt` in the container is broken up and maintained in a loose condition by the action of'the agitator arms 27 and 28- so that the filling of the openings 54 as they pass through is positively insured so c that the device is as eiiicient with l damp salt as 'it Uis-with dry.

Attention is directed to Fig. vl1, in which- IV hl-ave shown a curved strip of plate 99 overlapping the curved fend 84 of the v'bar 83. lThis stripl is not absolutely necessary but it is preferable to use it so as to insure f the'positive opening of the l gates under'ball clrcumstances. It might happen that a can 58l would be swung inwardlyl and returned member is usedthe knocker rides partly on the curved end 84'and. on .the strip 99,

lwhich is disposed about lone-eighth of an 1, 120` inch abve the end 84. Now, when the arm 58 'is swung inwardly` it will.be obvious onefeighth of an inch o'n to the-curved end 84.31111 Athat chestrip 99 will then be "to the,

outside ofthe knocker sothat it will be held in its outmost position and cannot ref turn.` to its normal position until the knocke'r has passed 'on clear.

What I claim as my invention is: i- 1. salting machine comprising a horigwould'trip a finger 68 so quickly that arm v that 'the knocker will drop .a distance of jlso en this n zontally disposed plate mounted Vfor rota? means for opening said gates one after the other at predetermined intervals whereby the contents of the plate openings are discharged through the gear openings.

2. In a salting machine, the combination with a belt for lconveying cans, of a baseplate straddling the said belt provided with l a funnel shaped opening located above the center of the belt, a plurality of normally closed circularly arranged salt' receptacles I rotatably mounted abovev said plate and adapted to register in turn with the mouth of the said opening, means for rotating said receptacles, means for lling said receptacles, and means for emptying each receptacle into the said funnel shaped opening as it registers therewith, said means beingautomatically operated by the said cans. 3. In a salting machine, the combination with a belt for conveying cans, of a baseplate straddling said belt provided with a funnel shaped opening located above the center of the belt, a horizontallydisposed plate ,rotatably mounted onvsaid baseplate,- said plate being provided with a series of openings arranged circularly equidistant from each other and adapted to register in turn with the mouth of the funnel shaped opening, gates pivotally mounted on the un- A derside of said plate normallyclosing said openings, means for rotating said plate, means for lling the normally closed openings, ngers rotatably mounted in the path of the cans conveyed by' the belt, means for forcing the cans against ythe ngers to trip same, a cam wheel coacting with 'said lingers and adapted to be partially rotated by the tripping of each of the said lingers, a pivotally mounted arm provided with an Vupstanding pin and a lever in connection with said arm having its free end in spring\ engagement with said cam `wheeland adapt--y ed to be forced outwardly by the partial rotation thereof so as to swing the said arm inwardly to carry the said pin into the path. of said gates to open same as each opening registers with the funnel shaped opening. 4. In a salting machine, the combination with a belt for conveying cans, of a baseplate straddling said belt provided withf a funnel shapedl opening located' above the center of the belt, a horizontally disposed plate rotatably mounted on said baseplate, said plate being provided with a series of openings arranged circularly equidistant from each other and adapted to register in turn with the mouth of the funnel shaped opening, gates pivotally mounted on the underside of said plate normallyclosing said openings, means for rotating said plate, means for filling the normally closed openings, fingers rotatably` mounted in the path of the conveyed cans, an endless beltarranged horizontally at one side of the conveying belt provided with spacedfngers adapted to engage the cans one by one and force them against the rotatably mounted fingers to trip same, and means operated by the tripping of'said fingers for opening said gates as each' opening lregisters with the funnel shaped opening.

5. In a salting machine, the combination with a belt for conveying cans, of a basec late straddling said belt provided with a n unnel shaped opening` located above the center of the belt, a horizontally disposed plate rotatably mounted on said baseplate, saidplate being provided with a series of openings arranged circularly equidistant from` each other and adapted to register in turn with the mouth of the funnel shaped opening, gates pivotally mounted on the underside of said plate normally closing said openin s, means for rotating said plate, means for ling the'normally closed openings, iingers rotatably mounted in the path of the conveyed cans, an endless belt ar` ranged horizontally at one side of the conveying Vbelt in gear connection. with .the plate rotating means and provided with spaced fingers adapted to engage the ucans one by one and `force them against the ro-` tatably mounted fingers totrip same, means operatedby the tripping of said lingers for opening said gates as each opening registers` with the funnel shaped opening,`and means for timing the feeding of the cans lto the endless belt fingers.

6. In a salting machine, the combination with al belt for conveying cans, of abaseplate straddlingsaid belt provided with a funnel shaped opening located above the center of the belt, a horizontally :disposed plate rotatably `mounted on said baseplate, said plate being provided with a series of openings arranged circularly equidistant from each other and adapted to registerin turn with themo'uth of the funnel shaped opening, gates pivotally mounted on the underside of said plate normally closing said openings, means for rotating said plate, means for filling the normally closed openings, ingers rotatably mounted in the path of the conveyed cans, an endless belt ar` ranged horizontally at one'side of the conveyer belt in gear connection with the plate rotating means and provided with:` spaced lingers adapted to engage the cans one by one and force 4them against the rotatably mounted fingers to' trip same, means operated, by the tripping of said lingers for opening said gates as each opening reglsters ywith the funnel shaped opening, a pivotallymounted arm extending partly across the conveyer bolt, and means operated by the endless belt forswinging the said arm al-v ternately in front or clear of the conveyed cans.

7. A salting machine comprising a horizontally disposed plate mounted for rotation, said plate being provided with a series of 8. In a device Iof the character described, a salt containing receptacle, and means for conveying salt therefrom in predetermined quantities to the delivery position.

9. In a device of the character described, 'a saltcontaining receptacle, means for conveying` salt therefrom inl predetermined quantities, and means automatically operated by-a can for opening the conveying means whereby salt is' dumped therefrom when the delivery position is reached.

10. In a device of the character described, a knocking ldevice .comprising an arm having projecting members on each edge at one end, and means for `imparting rotary recip-` rocating motion to said arm.

11. In a device of the character described, a knocking device comprising an arm having adjustable projecting members on each edge at one end, and means for'imparting` rotary reciprocating motion to said arm.

l2. In a device of thecharacter described, a knocking device comprising an'arm Ahaving projecting members on each edge at one end,-means for imparting rotaryreciprocating motion to said arm, and means for accelerating the downward movements of the arm. s

13. In a device of the character described, a knocking device comprising a bar' member having anl outstanding portiony and an arm extending outwardly at right angles from said portion and centrally ofvsaid bar, pro-K jecting members on saidl arm on each edge at its outer end, and means for imparting rotary reciprocating motion t0 .said bar.

14g. In a device of the character described, a knocking device comprising/a rotatably mounted slotted gear, a bar member having an outstanding portion and an arm extending outwardly at right angles from said 15. In a device of the character described, i

a knocking device comprising a rotatably mounted slotted gear, a bar member having anl outstanding portion and an arm extending outwardly at right angles from said'portion and centrally of said bar and provided with projecting members on each edge at` its outer end, said bar being slidablyv mounted in the slot of said gear and of shorter length` than the slotmeans for rotating said gear, 'a 'curved arm on which the said outstanding portion rides as the gear'rotates, said arm being adapted to raise the bar in the slot and l to allow it to drop when it4 reaches the vertical position, and a spring pressed arm adapted tobe raised by the said outstanding portion as the bar reaches the vertical position and to return to its normal position as the bar drops in the slot.

16. yIn a device of the character described,

a knocking device comprising a rotatably mounted slotted gear, a bar member having an :outstanding portion and an arm extending outwardly at right angles from said portion and centrally of said bar and provided with projecting members on each edge at its outer end, said bar being slidably mounted in the slot of said gear and of shorter length than the slot, means for ro-y tating said gear, a curved arm on which the said outstanding portion rides as they gear rotates, said arm being adapted to raise the bar in the slot and to lallow it to drop therein when it reaches the vertical position, and

means for maintaining the bar* in the raised position for a predetermined mterval, said means being adapted for withdrawal so that the bar may drop 4at the termination of said interval. g

Dated at Vancouver, B.C., this 21st day Y of September, 1916.

PAUL JOSEPH Co'r. 

